Apparatus for treating materials.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

I B. NATRUMP. APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED DEQJZ. 1903.

"WEI/TUB ($910M in WITNESSES I TTORNEY.

- UNTTnn STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT @rrrcn.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,109, dated May 2, 1905.

Original application filed April 25, 1901, Serial No. 57,418. Divided and this application filed December 12, 1903. Serial No. 184,895.

To all whom, it vnay concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD N.TRUnr,a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented new and useful Apparatus for Treating Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for drying moist materials, absorbing gases or vapors, or decomposing and driving off gases from materials requiring such treatment, or other similar purpose.

My apparatus is adapted for drying, among other things, moist plastic material or in some other manner treating such material or other materials.

My invention consists of a drying or heating apparatus comprising means for causing an upward current, in most cases vertical, of treating agent, which in most cases is air or other gas, which may or may not be heated prior to its introduction into the treatingchamber and which may or may not be heated after introduction into the treating-chamber.

My invention comprises means for feeding the material into the treating-chamber from the upper end thereof and preferably in a direction coincident with the axis of the treating chamber or stack.

My invention comprises also means for separating the treated from the untreated or unfinished material, as well as means for replenishing or renovating the treating agent. It consists also of means for separating the finished material from the treating agent.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a general view in elevation of the treating apparatus, with a heating-jacket indicated in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of feed and baiiie. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line X X, Fig. 1 the top feed and baflie.

ln Fig. lablower, whose feed may be regulated by any suitable means, such as a controlled electric motor, is shown at 1. This blower opens directly into the bottom of the stack 2 and causes in said stack an upward current of air or other treating agent. The

stack is of uniform diameter throughout its lower portion, its middle portion beginning to flare slightly, and its uppor portion tapers or flares in a still more pronounced manner, as shown at 3. While I consider this the preferable construction of the stack, I do not wish to be confined or limited to this specific construction.

At 4. is shown a conical cover or closure for the flaring portion 3. Connecting with the portion 4 is the chamber 5, into the side of which leads the tube or pipe 7. The pipe 7 affords a means of communication between the top of the stack 2 and the cyclone-separator 8, into which the treated material is discharged through this discharge-pipe 7.

At 9 is shown a conveyer which carries away to any desired point the material separated out by the c yclone-separator 8. Leading from the cyclone-separator 8 is a pipe composed of the parts 10 and 11, which communicate with the dust-receiver 12. At the bottom of this dust-receiver is a second conveyer 13, serving a similar purpose as the conveyer 9. The pipe 16 conducts the treating agent from the dust-receiver 12 to the heater l7 and thence through the pipe 20 back to the blower 1 and stack 2. It is thus seen that the treating agent may be used over and over again and passes or circulates through a closed circulatory system comprising the blower, the stack, the separator, the dust-receiver, and the heater. The dust-receiver 12 is supplied with an exit-pipe 14, controlled by the valve 15, for permitting to escape as much of the treating agent as may be found desirable. For taking in fresh treating agent into the system an inlet-pipe 18, controlled by valve 19, connects with the heater 17. By the valve 15 exhausted or undesired treating agent may be withdrawn from the circulating system,

-and by the valve 19 other treating agent may be introduced into the system.

The material to be treated is brought by conveyers or any other suitable means to the orifice of the feed-pipe 6. The material then drops into the inner receiving-chamber 5, within which is the shaft 21, carrying the agitators or feeders 22, 23, and 2A, such shaft being driven by the pulley 25, which is in turn driven by any suitable regulatable means.

The rotating paddle or feeders 22, 23, and 24 cause the raw material or material to be treated to pass downwardly through the openings 26 26, where they strike the screw wheel 27, which is also driven by the shaft 21. The material striking upon the screw wheel 27 is caused and permitted to fall into the treating chamber or stack 2, where it is met by the upward current of treating agent, in which it is suspended against gravity and becomes dried or treated, and as the drying or treating process progresses the material becomes lighter and lighter and is elevated into higher and higher regions of the stack, where the velocities of the treating agent are less and less, due to the flaring of the stack. When the material has been completely treated or dried, it is sustained and carried upward by a current of agent Whose velocity is less, due to the dimensions and shape of the flaring portion 3 of the stack. The current of treating agent then carries the completely-treated material or finished material around and past the conical baffle 28. In the portions 1 and 5 of the stack, because of diminishing diameter, the velocity of the treating agent again increases and then carries ofi through the pipe 7 with great ease the finished material which has been selected by the flaring portion 3 and the baffle 28 from the slightly-moist or unfinished material in the stack.

The cyclone-separator 8 removes from this mixture of treating agent and finished material discharged through the pipe 7 the finished material, which drops down to the conveyer 9 and is carried off to any desired point. The treating material, however, passes on through the pipes 10 and 11 and carries with it some portion of the finished material in an extremely finely divided state, such as dust. In the dust-receiver 12 this dust or finely-divided material is separated from the treating agent and drops down to the conveyer 13, by which it is removed to any desired point. The treating agent, however, continues on through the pipe 16 to the heater 17, where it is again heated and passed on to the blower 1 to be again injected into the treating-chamber or stack 2.

Though the course of a mass of material has been described from the time of its induction into the treating-chamber until its delivery to the conveyers, it is to be understood that the material to be treated is continuously fed into the treating-chamber and that the treating agentis being continuously forced upwardly in the stack and,in fact, that the process is a continuous one as distinguished from a processwhere a mass of material is introduced into a treating-chamber and maintained there until finished and the operation of treating interrupted for the purpose of introducing new charges of material. It is to be understood also that in addition to the heater 17 heat may be supplied to the walls of the treating-chamber by any suitable means, such as a steam-jacket 32. (See Fig. 1.) a

The rate of feed of material into the treating-chamber is controllable, as previously stated, by a regulation of the means for driving the pulley 25, and the speed of the blower 1, which determines the force of the upward current of treating agent, may also be controlled or varied. By this adjustment of the speed of the blower and the rate of feed of material the process of treating may be continuous, and therefore an efficient one, for the reason that no time is lost by interruptions of any sort.

The force of the upward current of treating agent is adjusted so as to be suitable for the material to be treated. For example, very heavy material, such as very moist material, requires a stronger upward current in order that it may be suspended by such current and in order that it will not drop through such current to a place where it will not be treated in a satisfactory manner.

In Fig. 3 oppositely-disposed baffle-plates 28 and 29 are shown along with an intermediate baffle-plate 28. The inner chamber 5, shaft 21, and feeders 22, 23, and 2 1 are similar to those shown in Fig. 2. However, the shaft 21 is extended downwardly to the lower extremity of the baflie 29. A screw-wheel 27 is, as in the case of Fig. 2, mounted just below the orifices 26 26 at the lower end of the inner chamber 5. The material is fed in as in the case of Fig. 2; but instead of dropping from the screw-wheel 27 directly into the stack or treating-chamber it drops into the interior of the bafiie 29, thence through the orifices 80 onto asecond screw-wheel 31, which controls the outlet of the material into the stack or treating-chamber.

The mass of material in the inner chamber 5 in both Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 serves as a seal to prevent the escape of any of the treating agent.

In the case of Fig. 3 the finished material is transported by the treating agent upwardly along the sides of the baflie 29, then around the edge of baffle 29 and the edge of bafl'le 28 and past the edge of the baffle 28, and thence out through the discharge-pipe 7. This affords a modified means for selecting from the unfinished material the completely-finished material. This selection is the result of changes of velocity of the treating agent and the effect of the baffies in offering an impediment to the passage of materials which are not completely finished.

This application is a division of my application filed April 25, 1901, and bearing Serial No. 57,418.

What I claim is 1. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of chambers forming a closed circulatory system including a treating chamber, means for feeding through the top of and the axial region of said chamber the material to be treated, means for causing an upward current of an agent for treating said material in said chamber, and for transporting the material upwardly through said chamber as it approaches the finished state.

2. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, one of which is a treating-chamber, means for feeding material through the top of said treating-chamber, and means for causing an upward circulation through said chamber of an agent to treat said material and so as to separate the finished from the unfinished material.

3. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forminga continuous closed circulatory system, means for continuously feeding through the top of one of said chambers material to be treated, means for causing an upward circulation of a treating agent through said chamber so as to operate upon and transport the material and means for separating the treated material from said agent.

4. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers, forming a continuous closed circulatory system, means for continuously feeding through the top of one of said chambers material to be treated, means for causing a circulation through said series of an agent for operating upon and transporting the material and so as to cause the separation of the treated material from the operating agent.

5. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, means for continuously feeding through the top of one of said chambers material to be treated, means for causing an upward circulation through said chamber of an agent for operating upon and transporting the material, means for imparting heat to the operating agent, and means for causing the separation of the treated material from the operating agent.

6. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, a treating-chamber, having its longitudinal extension vertically disposed, as one of said series, means for feeding material through the top of said treatingchamber, and means for causing a circulation through said chamber of an agent which passes upwardly through the treating-chamber to treat said material and to separate the finished from the unfinished material.

7 In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, a vertical stack as one of said series of chambers, means for continuousl y feeding through the top of said stack material to be treated, and means for causing an upward circulation through said stack of an agent to operate upon and transport the material.

8. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, a vertical stack as one of said series of chambers, means for feeding the material to be treated through the top of said stack, and means for causing in said stack an upward current of an agent for operating upon and transporting the material.

9. In an apparatus for treating material, a series of communicating chambers forming a closed circulatory system, a vertical stack as one of said series of chambers, means for feeding through the top of said stack the material to be treated, and means for causing through said stack an upward current of an agent for operating upon and transporting the material, and means for imparting heat to the walls of the stack.

10. In an apparatus for treating materials, a vertical stack increasing in diameter with its height, means for continuously feeding through the top of said stack the material to be treated, means for causing through said stack an upward current of treating agent whereby the material to be treated is suspended in said agent, and is transported through said stack as it approaches the finished state.

11. A drier comprising a treating-stack, a separator, a heater, and a blower, forming to gether a circulatory system, means for feeding through the top of said stack the material to be treated, the capacity of the blower and the dimensions of the stack being so related as to constitute means for inducing a treatingcurrent to suspend the material during treatment.

12. In combination a treating-stack, means near the bottom thereof for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, a bafiie approximate the exit from said stack, and means for introducing through said battle the material to be treated.

13. In combination, a treating-stack, means near the bottom thereof for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, an exit approximate the top of said stack, a baffle approximate the top of said stack, and means for feeding through said baffle into said stack the material to be treated.

14. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of astack, means for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, means for feeding material to be treated into the stack through the top thereof and means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent during treatment.

15. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack gradually increasing in diameter with its height, means for inducing therein an upward current'of treating agent, means for feeding material to be treated into the stack through the top thereof and means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent during treatment.

16. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination ofastack, means for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, means for feeding material to be treated into the upper part of the stack, means for conducting the finished material from the stack, a baffle interposed within the upper part of the stack between the incoming and outgoing material, and means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent d uring treatment.

17. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, means for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, means for feeding material to be treated into the upper part of the stack, means for conducting the finished material from the stack, oppositely-disposed baffles interposed within the upper part of the stack between the incoming and outgoing material, and means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent during treatment.

18. In an apparatus for treating material, a vertically-extending stack having an enlargement approximate the upper end thereof, a funnel-shaped receptacle inclosed within said enlargement, means for feeding material into said receptacle, means for feeding material from said receptacle downwardly into the stack, and means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent during treatment.

19. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a vertical stack, means for inducing an upward current of treating agent therein, means for feeding material into the upper part thereof and external conducting means from approximately the top of the stack back to approximately the bottom thereof.

20. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, means for inducing an upward current of treating agent therein, means for feeding material into the top thereof, external conducting means leading from approximately the top of the stack back to approximately the bottom thereof, and a separator, for separating the finished material from the treating agent, included in said external conducting means.

21. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, a chamber therein for receiving the material to be treated, a baflie secured to the walls of said chamber, and means for delivering said material from said chamber into said stack.

22. In an apparatus for treating material,

the combination of a stack, a chamber therein and approximate the top thereof for receiving the material to be treated, a baflie secured to the walls of said chamber, and means for delivering said material from said chamber into said stack.

23. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, a chamber therein and approximate the top thereof for receiving the material to be treated, a baffle secured to the walls of said chamber, and regulatable means for delivering said material from said chamber into said stack.

24. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, a chamber therein, and approximate the top thereof for receiving the material to be treated, a baffle secured to the walls of said chamber, and a screw-feed for delivering said material from said chamber into said stack.

25. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a vertical stack, means for inducing an upward current of treating agent therein, means for feeding material into the upper part thereof, external conducting means from approximately the top of the stack back to approximately the bottom thereof, and means for imparting heatto the walls of the stack.

26. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a vertical stack, means for inducing an upward current of treating agent therein, means for feeding material into the upper part thereof, external conducting means from approximately the top of the stack back to approximately the bottom thereof, and 1 means included in said conducting system for imparting heat to the agent.

27. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a stack, means for inducing therein an upward current of treating agent, I

means for feeding material to be treated into the stack through the top thereof, means for adjustment both with respect to said current and feed whereby the material is suspended in the agent during treatment, and means for imparting heat to said apparatus.

28. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a vertical stack, means for inducing an upward current of treating agent therein, means for feeding material into the upper part thereof, external conducting means from approximately the top of the stack back to approximately the bottom thereof, and a plurality of chambers, for separating the finished material from the agent, included in said conducting means.

29. In an apparatus for treating material, a stack, a baffle therein and approximate the top thereof, a chamber for receiving the material to be treated and means for delivering the material from said chamber into said stack through said baffle.

30. In an apparatus for treating material,

a vertically-extending stack, a baffle therein having its axis coincident with the axis of said stack, and means for feeding the material to be treated into said stack through said bafile. 31. In an apparatus for treating material, a vertically-extending stack having a flaring enlargement approximate the top thereof, a baffle located in said enlargement and having its axis coincident with the axis of said stack, and means for feeding the material to be treated into said stack through said baffle.

32. In an apparatus for treating material, a vertically-extending stack having an enlargement approximate the top thereof, a bafile lo cated therein, a chamber for receiving the material to be treated whose Walls extend into said enlargement, and means for delivering said material from said chamber into the axial region of said stack through said baflie.

33. In an apparatus for treating material,

avertically-extendingstack having an enlargethe dimensions of the stack being so related i as to constitute means for separating the finished from the unfinished material.

35. In an apparatus for treating material, an upwardly-extending stack, means for inducing therein a direct upward current of treating agent, means for imparting heat to said treating agent, means for feeding the material to be treated into the axial region of said stack through the top thereof, the force of the current of treating agent and the rate of feed of material being such as to secure a separation of the finished from the unfinished material.

36. In an apparatus for treating material, an upwardly-extending stack, means for inducing a current of operating agent through said stack, means for regulating said current, and regulatable means for continuously feeding the material to be treated through the top of said stack, so that the finished material will be separated from the unfinished material.

37 In an apparatus for treating material, a series of chambers forming a circulatory system, a stack constituting one of said series of chambers, means for inducing. an upward current of treating agent through said stack, means included in said system for heating said agent, means for continuously feeding the material to be treated into the axial region of said stack through the top thereof, a separator, and a dust-receiver.

EDWARD N. TRUMP. Witnesses:

H. G. EHLE, ED. F. HUGHES. 

